What are the benefits of producing a podcast, a video series and an annual salary survey? To many recruiters that sounds like a lot of work. Is it really worth all the effort?
My special guest, Sean Rigsby, believes that the combination of inbound marketing strategies position you as the ‘go to’ recruiter in your space. The salary survey, for example, provides valuable market data for your clients and candidates. It also helps to build your brand and generate inbound leads.
In this interview, Sean revealed his process for researching, publishing and promoting his firm’s salary survey as well as other brand-building strategies. He also shared practical and golden approaches to making your life easier by working smarter. You will also hear the challenges he had when he shifted to an engaged model and the payoff he is getting now.
Sean is the Managing Partner of Rigsby Search Group (RSG) founded in 2012 and recognized by Forbes as one of America’s best-recruiting firms. RSG specializes in the environmental industry and has made over 1200 placements nationwide.
Episode Outline and Highlights
- [1:15] What motivated Sean to start a podcast?
- [6:44] Ways to broaden your brand – doing a salary survey and getting good data.
- [20:18] Sean’s “interview tip of the day” videos and how this approach can help your brand.
- [28:51] Are you treating your time like the money it is worth?
- [42:30] Shifting from contingency to an engaged model after 23 years – the risks and rewards
- [57:30] How the Pinnacle Society helped Sean when he started his own firm.
- [58:33] Mistakes and learnings when starting your own recruitment business.
Building Your Brand
People are more likely to do business with you if they know you. That is why marketing and building your brand are important aspects of running your business. Sean shared the specifics of how they do it at Rigsby Search Group. For them, it is not just spreading awareness but also becoming thought leaders and adding value to the industry. Here are the takeaways
- Podcast – Sean revealed what motivated him to start a podcast and the benefits they are getting from it.
- Salary Survey – Definitely value-adding to your community, hear how to capture the data and get higher engagement.
- Interview Tip of the Day – this video making process not only helps your candidates but spreads brand awareness as well. Sean shared their best practices.
Working Hard and Working Smart
One of the key topics that Sean shared with me is how he makes his life easier by delegating tasks that he hates, allowing him to focus more on more complex tasks in his business. His guiding principle is based on the question of “Are you treating your time like the money it is worth?”
Sean admitted, “I wasn’t very good at delegating…I would try to do everything.” He then shared how and when you can hand off some tasks to someone else. He shared his thought process on which tasks to delegate. As he summarized, “Which ones I hate and what is the quickest turnaround.” Here are some examples of the time-consuming tasks he is now effectively delegating:
- Research – hear how he trained his admin to handle candidate sourcing.
- Taking references and making follow-ups – this one is brilliant, I’ve never come across anyone else who delegates this task effectively.
Shifting From Contingency to an Engaged Model
After roughly 23 years in his recruitment career, Sean decided to shift to an engaged or retained search model. He was skeptical at first as he initially felt that it is not fit for his specific industry niche. He shared that he even lost a number of clients when he started asking for part of the fee upfront. But what made him decide? And what are the key benefits he is getting now? Sean shared valuable insights from his own experience transitioning to retained/engaged search.
Related Podcast You Might Enjoy
- TRR #81 James Caan on the 10 Characteristics of Highly Successful Recruitment Entrepreneurs
- TRR #67 Think Like a Big Biller: How to Get Repeat Business and Referrals, with Rich Rosen
- TRR #55 How to Build (or Rebuild) Your Recruitment Firm to 7-Figures From Scratch, with Joe Rice
- TRR #45 Doing Things Differently – Objectivity, Flat Fees and Getting Rid of Commission Schemes, with Cameron Boyd
